A new observational study reveals that women diagnosed with breast cancer who have supportive friends and family survive breast cancer at a higher rate than women who are socially isolated. According to researchers, "Social connections matter for breast cancer survival. Among women with breast cancer, social isolation may serve to limit access to care, specifically, informal care giving from friends and family, which may affect breast cancer outcomes."

University of California, Berkeley and San Francisco researchers found that women with close relatives, friends and living children each had greater breast cancer survival rates. In comparison, women who had no close relatives or friends were about three and four times more likely to die from breast cancer. Also, those who had no living children had a nearly six-fold increased risk of death from breast cancer in comparison to those with six or more living children. The rest of us with children, but less than six children, would fall somewhere in between those statistics?

Other research has shown that women who participate in breast cancer support groups faired much better in surviving cancer, than those who did not take part in a group. I believe it is the social connection itself that makes a difference, and can be any type of social support -- close friends, family, children, church groups, talk support groups -- as long as the woman was actively involved in the relationship. Past research has shown that the simple act of a hug positively alters the physical chemistry of the people in the hug. Human beings were not psychologically designed to be alone, and isolation without cancer can lead to diseases. We need each other. Empathy, compassion and love sustain us, mend us, give us hope, help us heal.